Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-07
SOCIAL PUSHERS.
The Numerous Queer ways They
Use to Promote Themselves.

The Numerous Queer ways They
Use to Promote Themselves.
Boston Letter to the Providence Journal.
That the most humiliating feature
of modern society is to be found in the
articles of those who wish to "get on"
in the fashionable world has often
been remarked; yet there is still room
for amazement at the ingenuity of the
devices to which the snobs will resort.
We have had good many weddings
recently in the neighborhood of Bos-
ton, and among other brides of high
social position has been Miss x,
whose family is rather noted for its ex-
clusiveness. When the invitations for
the wedding were sent out Mrs. A.,
woman who is really devoured by So
cial ambition, was not included in the
list of guests. She had met Mrs. X,
and had somewhat overstepped the
strict proprieties of etiquette in the
manner in which she had called upon
that exclusive lady. Now, she was
doubtless much chagrined at not re-
ceiving card for wedding which
was to be very large one, but she
was by no means ready to abandon the
field. On the day after the invitations
went out, Mrs. A. sent Miss Y. val
liable and we'll selected piece of plate
as a wedding gift. Miss X, in the
privacy of circle of friends, declared
that she would not have the present,
1t was urged upon her that she certain
ly could not return it.
"But | will not acknowledge it," She
declared angrily.
"But then, my DEAR" her mother
said, "you will be putting yourself in
the wrong. You cannot be rude, and
especially to nobody like Mrs. A."
81 don't care" persisted the daugh-
ter. "I will not invite her, anyway.
This is my wedding, and will have
whom please. She can't buy an in
vitation with her trumpery old pres
ent."
But, of course, in the end, Mrs. A..
was invited, and she appeared at the
wedding with the air of being the
most intimate friend of the family. 1t
amused those who knew the story, but
Mrs. A. is clever enough to make the
fact that she was there tell for good
deal in her struggle up the social
heights.
A still more amazing trick was re-
sorted to by Boston lady this winter
to get to a reception where she wished
to appear. She wrote to the hostess
to whom she had never even been
presented, that she had lady high
in Washington society staying with
her, and that it was SO much the GUS
tom in Washington to attend recep-
tions unlimited, that her friend had
seen no improperly in telling some
acuuaintances that she would meet
them at this gathering. The note
went on to say that as hostess the
writer was put in so awkward posi-
ton that she had ventured to lay the
case before the lady giving the enter
tainment, hoping that she would be
willing to send cards to herself and
the stranger. On this OCCASION the
scheme was failure. The note was
answered merely by formal regret
that the list of guests having been
made up before the receipt of Mrs.
IS note, it was impossible to COM
play with her request. The lady from
Washington probably never knew of
the use made of her name. AT least
she did not present herself at the
reception.
And speaking of the Washington
vice of intruding upon social gather
ings. which has become 80 much of a
scandal that it is strange hostesses at
the capital do not in self-defense re-
sort to the device of demanding cards
at the door, lady OF that city told me
recently, of her own experience.
II sent out invitations" she said.
"to 800. Anywhere but in Washing
ton that would have meant about 600
guests. l ordered supper for 1000.
About 1900 came. When supper was
served, mob precipitated itself on
the dining room, and, of course, the
uninvited were first on hand. Not
very long after l went myself to see
that the wife of Senator O., whom |
especially wanted to be polite to, had
something to eat. The dining-room
looked as if it had been sacked by
a famished army. looked about and
l said to her. Mrs. O., there is a
candle on that table, if you are Rus
sian enough to eat it and over there
is half an orange That is positively
all that was left. and the caterer said
was fortunate that the mob did not
carry off the dishes and the furniture.
Party giving in Washington has come
to mere opening your house to mob
OF people you wouldn't know for the
world, and for my part l am sick of it.
l shall give dinner parties hereafter.
That will take care of the people /
most care about, and the rest must
60"
Happily we have not come to this
in Boston, but people do make frantic
efforts to get into the proper sets, re-
sorting to tricks too snobbish and
mean to be endurable, or, indeed, be-
lieveable, did not one know that they
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